Chinese B.A. Learning Objectives and Outcomes

Develop competence in speaking and listening comprehension in Mandarin Chinese.

Command basic Chinese vocabulary. Refine grammatical structures and engage in critical
thinking through a variety of tasks, activities, and assignments.

Read authentic material in Chinese for informative purposes.

Write in Chinese simple narration and description about given topics and events.

Develop understanding of the traditional Chinese culture in light of contemporary
values.

Be able to compare systematically the ideas, values, images, or attitudes of people
from various Chinese communities. Be able to identify the historical context of these
ideas and cultural practices. Be able to explain how Chinese culture changes in response
to internal and external pressures.

French M.A.

Improve ability to undertake graduate-level coursework by analyzing cultural productions
from the following three perspectives: Historical and cultural, Linguistic and stylistic,
Literary and literary theory.

Improve ability to develop a thesis of a scholarly nature on a special topic.

Become more proficient in making scholarly presentations at public venues.

Become more proficient at using research tools for academic papers at graduate level
and at processing collected data in compliance with academic standards.

Improve ability to use interdisciplinary approaches and make connections between cultures
and languages.

Improve knowledge of the French-speaking world.

Become proficient using technology for scholarly research and presentations.

Literacy: Develop the students' ability to use appropriate terminology in linguistic,
cultural, or literary analysis.

Linguistics: Develop the students' ability to recognize the various components that
make up the German language, to understand complex syntactical features, and to analyze
and reflect on grammar.

Cultural Knowledge: Develop the students' ability to understand the cultural and intellectual
development of German-speaking civilizations and societies within their socio-political
contexts.

Literary Analysis and Traditions: Develop the students' knowledge of major periods,
genres, authors, and movements of German-language literature within their cultural,
intellectual and socio-political contexts.

Global Perspective and Comparisons: Develop the students' ability to relate the German-speaking
civilizations and societies to events in other countries around the world, with a
special focus on Europe and the United States since the 20th century.

Japanese B.A. Learning Objectives and Outcomes

To develop the students' four Japanese language skills (listening, speaking, reading,
and writing) in three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational).

To develop the students' understanding of some aspects of Japanese culture, including
the relationships among cultural products, practices, and perspectives.

To acquaint students with business manners and customs for developing communication
skills useful in conducting business in Japanese.

To develop the students' understanding of not only traditional arts but also contemporary
Japanese culture and society.

To develop the students' understanding of phonological, morphological, and syntactic
structures of contemporary Japanese.

To develop experience and skills in reading and discussing Japanese modern literature
from 1868 through the present.

To develop the students' understanding of traditional theater in Japan, as well as
modern and post-modern Japanese drama.

Spanish B.A. and M.A. Learning Objectives and Outcomes, and Additional Experiences
and Values

Spanish B.A.

Ability to effectively use grammatical structures in Spanish and to express oneself
orally and in writing in different sociolinguistic milieus including formal and academic
presentations.

Ability to appreciate literary texts of the Spanish-speaking world (Spain, Spanish
America and the Hispanic U.S.) and to recognize stylistic elements in the literature.

Ability to develop and carry out research projects in Spanish, including term papers
and biographical research.

Ability to analyze and develop texts other than literary: for example, informal and
formal correspondence, (applications for school or jobs, a résumé, brochures, etc.)
and to understand the use of appropriate academic and technical terminology.

Ability to produce, analyze and rationalize the sounds of Spanish (phonology) as compared
and contrasted with the sounds of English.

Ability to analyze morphological, syntactic and semantic components of Spanish.

Spanish M.A.

Ability to understand the historical development of the Spanish language in its external
(history, culture) and internal development (morphology, syntax and semantics).

Knowledge of and familiarity with the linguistic variation of Spanish and its main
dialects, including phonology, geographical variation, social dialects, and registers.

Knowledge of the literatures and cultures of the Spanish-speaking world (Spain, Spanish
America and the Hispanic U.S.) and relevant literary and cultural criticism.

Ability to write and present orally in a scholarly fashion.

The Programs in Spanish Provide Enrichment for All Degrees:

Close contact and consultation of students with faculty and personalized supervision
in the classroom and in advisement.

Extracurricular activities through several outlets, including the “Círculo Hispánico.”